French Open opens with Sinner, Gauff

Jannik Sinner and Coco Gauff arrived at Roland-Garros on Sunday with the tournament’s clearest opening storylines: a men’s draw built around the top-ranked Italian and a women’s draw that again runs through the defending champion. The 2026 French Open main draw is scheduled from May 24 through June 7 in Paris, according to the tournament’s official schedule. Sinner enters the clay-court major chasing a career Grand Slam, while Gauff returns as the reigning women’s champion after beating Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s final. ### Why is Sinner the central story on the men’s side? Jannik Sinner opened the tournament with a perfect 17-0 record on clay in 2026, and CBS Sports listed him as a -350 favorite for the title. That pricing, combined with Carlos Alcaraz’s absence because of injury, has made Sinner the clear focal point of the men’s draw entering the fortnight. (atptour.com) The ATP said Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev headline the field in Paris, with Sinner trying to complete the career Grand Slam at the second major of the season. CBS Sports also framed Sinner’s bid that way in its tournament draw preview. ### What makes Gauff’s title defense harder this time? Coco Gauff returned to Paris as defending champion after winning the 2025 title over Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. (cbssports.com) Roland-Garros said Gauff beat Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in last year’s final for her second Grand Slam singles title. The women’s draw places Gauff, 22, in the same half as Sabalenka, adding a possible rematch before the final weekend. (atptour.com) CBS Sports identified Gauff as a leading storyline in the women’s bracket, and the WTA’s draw breakdown said her path could include countrywoman Amanda Anisimova in the quarterfinals while Sabalenka sits elsewhere in the same half. (rolandgarros.com) ### How packed is the women’s field beyond Gauff and Sabalenka? The WTA said the 2026 French Open features four previous winners of the major and 10 total Grand Slam champions. Its tournament guide described the event as the closing point of the clay-court swing and one of the deepest fields of the season. (cbssports.com) Brad Kallet of the WTA wrote that Sabalenka is in the same section as Jessica Pegula, while recent WTA 1000 champions Marta Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina landed in the same quarter as Iga Swiatek. That leaves Gauff defending her title in a draw with multiple former major winners and recent titleholders spread across the bracket. (wtatennis.com) ### What are the dates and format from here? Roland-Garros said the full tournament runs from May 24 to June 7 at Stade Roland-Garros in Paris. The ATP’s tournament guide lists the same dates for the main draw. The official tournament site said daily play, draws, scores and schedules are being updated throughout the event. (wtatennis.com) Singles main-draw matches began Sunday, May 24, and the championship weekend concludes on June 7. ### What should readers watch first as the fortnight begins? Sunday’s opening frame is split between Sinner’s attempt to convert his clay-season dominance into a first French Open title and Gauff’s effort to defend the championship she won a year ago. (rolandgarros.com) CBS Sports cast Sinner as the men’s favorite and Gauff as one of the women’s central contenders as play got underway. (rolandgarros.com) June 7 is the end date for the 2026 tournament, according to Roland-Garros and the ATP, with Sinner, Gauff, Sabalenka, Djokovic and Zverev among the leading names in the draw as the event moves through its first week. (rolandgarros.com) (cbssports.com)